1/15/2012

Sunday Dinner

With a nice blanket of snow on the ground and a good chill in the air, a comforting menu was on my mind for our Sunday dinner. Meat and potatoes with a few veggies certainly fits the bill. And to help keep off the cold, a warm starter to our meal is in order. I made this appetizer for the first time on Christmas Eve and it got a five star rating. Onion, cheese, mayonnaise, and a little kick of heat-- um, yes please! I throw all the ingredients in the food processor for a smooth, creamy texture (plus it is easier) and add a little cayenne pepper for some zip.

Baked until browned and puffed-- this is a dip that will surely please any hungry crowd. You can serve it with crackers, chips, or sliced veggies (red bell pepper would work well) if you want a healthy alternative. I like it best with some buttered toasted crostini for a really good crunch. It makes a big batch, so if you have any leftovers, the dip is excellent on a roast beef sandwich:P

In the bowl of a food processor combine the onion, cream cheese, parmesan cheese and mayonnaise. Process until completely smooth. Add the cayenne and fold in the chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart baking dish and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Bake until browned and puffed, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly; garnish with chopped chives. Serve warm with crostini, crackers, or chips. Enjoy!

46 comments:

Aliyia-I hope you enjoy the recipe. I feature just one recipe from our Sunday dinner menu and I links if it is a recipe that I have shared before. I will certainly get to all the recipes in the future.

This does not only look and sound good---IT IS GOOD. The ingredients are so simple that you would not expect such a tasty result, but this recipe delivers. I made it for a baby shower, and it was the first thing to go. I am making it today to bring to another baby shower, and I expect it to be a hit there. Don't put this recipe in back of your file to try someday---try it today. You will not be disappointed!

SUGGESTIONS: Like previously stated in comments---you can add other things to give it a different flavor: crab, pepperoni, sun dried tomatoes, dried beef, etc! The sky can be the limit on this one.

I'm making this today for a Company potluck. So easy to prepare. Cannot wait to taste it after it has baked. Thinking that next time I'm going to add some chopped fried bacon to it.....MMmmmmmmmm Thank you for sharing this recipe.

I made this dip for an appetizer when my parents and in-laws came for dinner and the flavor was great and looked browned on top, but it was very liquidy in the middle. I'm not sure what I did wrong. I used a 1qt baking dish, but I'm thinking I should go with a more shallow dish? I also prepared it the day before (up until baking) and baked it the next day. Any advice would be appreciated as I don't want to give up on this dip!

Making it a day ahead up until baking will cause the onion to release excess moisture. If you are going to make it ahead, bake it, allow it to cool, cover and refrigerate it. Reheat it in the oven before serving. Pleased you enjoyed the taste☺.

SOOOOOO YUMMY!!! The only thing we did differently is that we caramelized the onions first, then allowed them to cool before adding them to the cheese. It was WONDERFUL! We also used a Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the ingredients together. My Cuisinart is broken and the mixer worked perfectly. ENJOY!!! Definitely a winner!

This made me so happy last night... made it on a whim b/c I had onions that desperately needed a home. I even had to sub out the parm for some swiss cheese b/c that's all I had on hand. It was still soooo good. Even my kids were digging in! I love how the top gets toasty brown :)

This is the one must have appetizer for holiday dinners! it is so amazing! The flavor and texture are perfect. Everyone raves over it every year that I make it. Even our daughter who does not like onions loves this appetizer!So if you have not tried it yet-put it on your list and make it. It will be a family favorite.Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!

I made this the past weekend, it was really good. I added shrimp and extra Parmesan cheese to the top and kept it in the oven a little longer so the top can be brown and crispy (: Served it with sliced french bread & everyone loved it!

If making it ahead of time, I would soak the onions in cold water for a few minutes, drain and pat dry with paper towels. This will keep it from becoming "funky" overnight. Mix the remaining ingredients together, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake according to the recipe before serving.